WORLD CUP USA ’94 / THE FIRST ROUND : Mexico Has No Capital Offense : Group E: Norway wins, 1-0, on Rekdal’s goal in 85th minute. Alves’ late header hits post.

A carnival of humanity with soccer as catalyst swept joyfully through the nation’s capital Sunday. But Norway short-circuited the fiesta with a late goal that spoiled Mexico’s first World Cup game since 1986.

The 1-0 final under brutal playing conditions at RFK Stadium--96 degrees at the start of the game--established the credentials of both sides in Group E, the Cup’s toughest division. But the outcome before a near-sellout crowd of 52,395 casts a shadow over Mexico’s hopes of advancing beyond the first round.

After the first Group E games, Norway and Ireland each have three points and Italy and Mexico have none. Italy will play Norway on Thursday at East Rutherford, N.J., and Ireland and Mexico will play at Orlando, Fla., on Friday.

In a stadium primped in red, white and green and throbbing for Mexico, the game, as advertised, pitted Latin finesse against Nordic strength. In the end, the big guys beat the little guys--by the skin of their teeth.

Playing a British-style zone defense and an offense based on long-pass counterattack, the Norwegians, one of the biggest teams in the tournament, were physically commanding, particularly in the air.

Twice in the first half, the ball went in after scrums in front of the Mexican net. Both times, Hungarian referee Sandor Puhl disallowed the apparent Norwegian goals because of fouls. And twice he issued yellow cards to Norway for rough play.

It was in the 85th minute that the Mexican defense finally yielded when midfielder Kjetil Rekdal deftly fielded a pass from Jan Age Fjortoft to climax a brisk Norwegian attack.

Rekdal, who plays professional soccer in Belgium, cleanly beat Claudio Suarez and Mexican goalkeeper Jorge Campos with a right-footer to the left side of the net.

“We were lucky to get the goal,” Norwegian Coach Egil Olsen said. “They were tougher than we thought.”

Again and again, Mexican short-pass attacks down the middle were stopped by the Norwegian zone defense. Quick defenders and total control of the air spelled the difference for Norway.

“I’ve come to confirm what we already know. The Norwegians can be very obstructive,” said Ireland Coach Jack Charlton, an interested spectator.

After the Norwegian goal, the Mexicans, who outshot Norway, 14-10, battled desperately for a tie.

Led by strikers Luis Roberto Alves, Hugo Sanchez and Luis Garcia, they repeatedly pounded the flagging Norwegian defense. A header by Alves hit the right post in the closing moments and the rebound was cleared by the defense.

“It was a tough, hard-played game,” Mexican Coach Miguel Mejia Baron said. “I’m proud of how the Mexican players behaved on the field. We went for three points and didn’t get them. Now we know what we have to do in the two remaining games.”

What Mexico lost on the field, it won in Washington.

William Montana, selling oversized Mexico T-shirts outside the stadium, said Mexico was a euphemism Sunday.

“Anybody from south of the border is Mexican today,” Montana said. “None of us Latinos have ever had a chance to see our game played at this level in the United States.”

When Antonio Chavez led a complex Mexican cheer on a Metro train at Washington’s Foggy Bottom station, Peruvian Marco Chung smiled with delight at the American passengers watching nonplussed.

“Americans simply don’t know what it’s like to get up for a big soccer game,” Chung said.

“Chitiboom, chitiboom. . . . “ the Chavez chant began, “ . . . Mexico, Mexico, Rah, Rah, Rah!”

“Not a lot of atmosphere in the United States for soccer games, so we’ll make our own atmosphere,” said Chavez, who came from Mexico City with six relatives and friends.

Soccer player Frederick Roed, in from Oslo with friends, wore his team shirt in Norwegian national colors of red, blue and white, and watched with amusement as the Mexican legions paraded past him, jeering good-naturedly.

“We are fewer, but on the field we speak louder,” Roed said. “In fact, though, the atmosphere is very friendly, everywhere we have gone. We’ve been playing soccer at Georgetown University every afternoon--and we’ve even found Americans to play with,” Roed said.